This is a winner, especially when cooking for a crowd. It’s so easy and being able to leave the pot to simmer away is a bonus for lazy cooks everywhere. For such a simple dish the individual ingredients really stand out. Even the biggest seafood lovers won’t miss the prawns here!
Ingredients – serves 2
1 onion, finely chopped
1 yellow or red pepper, chopped into 1 cm pieces
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tablespoon smoked paprika, can use non smoked if you prefer.
Half a teaspoon turmeric
175g arborio rice
750ml vegetable stock
350g cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
10-15 Black olives (to taste), chopped
Bunch of parsley, finely chopped
1 lemon
Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees
Heat some oil in a large pan and fry the onions for 5 minutes on a medium heat. Add the peppers and fry for another 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, paprika and turmeric and fry for another minute. Then add the rice and coat thoroughly with the spices.
Add the stock and bring up to a simmer. Add some salt and pepper and leave to simmer gently, stirring occasionally.
While the pot is simmering, place the tomatoes in a roasting tray with some olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes before leaving to one side.
Keep your eye on the pot. The rice should be cooked al dente by the time the liquid is absorbed. If it isn’t, just add a bit more water and continue to simmer.
When the rice is cooked, stir in the olives, tomatoes, parsley and juice from 1 lemon. Season to taste and serve up.
